As bad as our conversion rate is (and has been for ages), I'm even more disappointed with our corners. Really getting fed up with our inability to put in decent corners. We've got the aerial threat to be scoring from them, if we could actually deliver them. It's a huge disadvantage compared to many other sides. We got away with our dreadful corner ability in L1, simply because the quality of our attacking players was such much higher than the defences they were put up against, and hence scored more than enough goals from open play. And then last season we had Fox, who could take a corner.
The corners are incredibly frustrating, today especially. What do we want - Gaston to slice it to the first man, or Lallana to smash it over everyone for a goal kick or throw in on the far side? Take your pick lads...
Not scoring from all those chances may be frustrating (imagine how Mauricio feels!) but shows we are still playing exciting football and we will get chances that go in (a la Man City). A very valuable point indeed. We are due a 1.0.
Great performance and endeavour...again. But we have got to get some wins, we play well frequently and seldom win, play **** and we always lose. Two tough home games coming up but you never know with Saints. Reading is going to be massive.
Our best set piece taker at the moment seems to be JWP, he gets all the corners and free kicks when he comes on, and they've been pretty solid. It was from his corner at QPR that Yoshida almost scored from.
It is our throw ins as well. We always seem to lose the ball and put ourselves under pressure from throws, and it is not a recent trend.
The more I see of Holt the more insulting all the comparisons between him and Lambert are. Another game, another missed opportunity. The relief of the escape at the end will make a point seem like enough, but really that was on a plate. I don't think there are too many fundamental or overarching problems in our game it's just a lack of confidence, composure and belief. We can't settle into games and just let our individual and overall team ability just take us through, it's all a little forced and frantic, like all the players minds are going a mile a minute. Adam's miss being the prime example, that should just be instinct, his eyes should glaze over and the next thing he knows he is wheeling off celebrating, but instead it's a moment of panic and a snatched shot. I suppose that's what you get as a young, inexperienced newly promoted side but these issues seem amplified for us and that is what is undermining us the most. Rodriguez and Lallana the main culprits in profligacy today, one of those games where the opportunities just aren't falling to the man we need them to, and the supporting cast is unable to step up to the plate. We controlled the midfield nicely, although that wasn't too tricky with no Tettey and Norwich playing a 8-0-2 formation which simultaneously didn't give them enough in midfield nor enough support for their strikers. Defence was a mixture of good with scrappy moments thrown in, which is normal for us. Gaston had one of those 'Cold, snowy afternoon in Stok-... East Anglia' kind of games, but if Messi can't handle them then I suppose we can forgive him. And finally, it's nice to have you with us, Artur. Actually, not finally, one last sidenote - Snodgrass is a bit of a twat, isn't he?
Actually, it is a recent trend - in one of the match programmes a couple of months back, there was a stat about how we had the highest completed throw in percentage in the league.
Things i learnt from today: 1 Grant Holt is a cheating ****er. 2 Mark Clattenburg is a ****ing awful referee 3 Lallana has no composure.
Starting to get the feeling that the players let Adkins down many times, and are now doing the same to Mauricio. Nothing either of them can do if they have 32 shots and only put one in the net.
I don't know how BBC (or PA?) work out their possession stats, but Norwich certainly didn't have majority possession. BBC - Norwich 52%, Saints 48% 442 Statszone - Norwich 40%, Saints 60% How is there such a large difference? 442 is clearly more accurate.
I don't know how BBC (or PA?) work out their possession stats, but Norwich certainly didn't have majority possession. BBC - Norwich 52%, Saints 48% 442 Statszone - Norwich 40%, Saints 60% How is there such a large difference? 442 is clearly more accurate.
